Sporting Directors have become increasingly visible, particularly during the Summer Transfer Window, when their work is exposed to public scrutiny and debate. 

This is the moment when decisions are questioned, successes amplified, and failures magnified.

Yet reducing the Sporting Director role to transfers alone is not only inaccurate, it is dangerous.

Here, we will try to dissect an article that was shared by Football Benchmark, where some tendencies are exposed, as the average age, past and tenure for Sporting Directors at Big-5 Top.

Some of the questions that we will try to respond are:
. What is a Sporting Director?
. What are the roles of a Sporting Director?
. Is being a Sporting Director more stable than Head Coach?

. Is there any specific trend, or experience required to be a Sporting Director?

. What is the expected age for a Sporting Director?

. Among others !

Today, the Sporting Director’s responsibility extends far beyond Player Trading. 

Squad Construction, Recruitment Strategy, Academy Pathways, Alignment with the Departments, Game Model and Club’s Vision & Objectives, and the Long-Term Sporting Direction of the Club are all part of the Role. 

In many organizations, the Sporting Director has become the Strategic anchor of the Football Department, sometimes even called “Director of Football” responsible for ensuring Coherence, Continuity, and Identity in an Environment that is naturally unstable.

Despite this centrality, evaluating the Performance of Sporting Directors remains extremely difficult.

Titles differ, Responsibilities vary widely between Clubs, and Decision-Making Authority is often unclear. 

In some Clubs, the Sporting Director leads. 

In others, they advise. 

In others still, they Execute Decisions taken elsewhere. 

This lack of uniformity makes Benchmarking almost impossible and often leads to unrealistic Expectations.

Let’s start by establishing, for this text, that the term Sporting Director refers to the senior-most individual fully dedicated to Football matters – this definition is essential to create Clarity in a landscape where Roles are increasingly blurred.

Looking at the “Big Five” European leagues — Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 — as of July 2025, a total of 88 Sporting Directors were identified. 

Hopefully, clear Patterns emerge when examining who occupies these Positions and how Clubs approach Sporting Leadership.

How? 

One of the most evident trends is the prevalence of Former Professional Players. 

Across the “Big Five,” roughly two-thirds of Sporting Directors have a Playing background. 

This profile is particularly dominant in Ligue 1, where the majority of Football Decision-Makers are Former Professionals. 

The rationale is understandable – Former Players “often bring instant credibility, Command Respect within the Dressing Room, Understand the Realities of the Player Environment, and possess extensive Networks within Football.”

However, as we are Understanding more and more, the Modern Sporting Director Role demands far more than Football Intuition or lived Experience. 

Governance, Financial Responsibility, Strategic Planning, Leadership, and Stakeholder Management have become essential Components of the Job. 

While former players may offer Cultural Alignment and symbolic Continuity, sentimental appointments can carry risks when they are not supported by the necessary Management Skillset.

Club-specific ties also Influence Appointments. 

In the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, a number of Sporting Directors previously Played for the Clubs they now serve. 

This can reinforce identity and foster Supporter Trust, but again raises the same question: does familiarity alone equip individuals to handle the Complexity of Modern Football operations?

The Premier League presents a Contrasting Model. 

Fewer than half of its Sporting Directors have Professional Playing backgrounds. 

This difference is partly Historical – England adopted the Sporting Director Role later than other Leagues, traditionally centralizing Football authority with the Head Coach, or the Manager. 

This Role, of Manager, as we could Understand it from the outside, was of someone that was more than the Head Coach, but also someone Responsible to Align Departments around the Squad Performance, from the Technical Department (those that were actually delivering the Training Sessions), Scouting or Medical Departments, or dealing with Agents and Players, etc. 

Naturally, although Structures have evolved, traces of that Model remain. 

In many Premier League Clubs, Sporting Directors are chosen for Operational Competence, Strategic Thinking, and Organizational Expertise rather than Football symbolism – which are relevant Skillset for a League that is way more Commercial than others, requiring those in place to have a clear idea about more about Business Management than just Technical Knowledge.

Internal Promotion is another relevant Dimension. 

Across the “Big Five,” approximately 30% of Sporting Directors were Promoted from within their Clubs. 

These pathways often originate in roles such as Chief Scout, Academy Manager, or Technical Director. Internal Promotion can signal Trust and Continuity, but it remains the exception rather than the rule. External Experience continues to be highly valued, particularly in environments seeking immediate Transformation, or it may be connected to the Management/Board Changes we’ve seen recently, each appointing People of their Confidence instead of those already at the Clubs.

Perhaps the most concerning insight relates to Stability. 

The average tenure of a Sporting Director across the “Big Five” leagues is just 2.6 years. 

La Liga shows the highest level of stability at 3.7 years, while the Premier League averages only 1.8 years. 

These figures raise Fundamental Questions. 

How can a Sporting Director Build a Sustainable Academy Pipeline, Implement a Coherent Game Model, or Align Departments Effectively in such a short timeframe?

The contradiction is clear. 

Sporting Directors are tasked with Building Long-Term Frameworks while Operating under intense Short-Term Pressure. 

As a result, many are forced to Prioritize Immediate Impact over Strategic Sustainability – at What Cost?

This tension is particularly damaging for Youth Development, which ,as we know, requires Patience, Consistency, and Long-Term Commitment to deliver Results.

At the heart of this challenge lies Alignment with Ownership. 

Sporting Directors oversee (or should oversee) some of the most Impactful and Costly decisions within a Club, from Recruitment to Sporting Identity. Short Tenures increase the Risk of Misalignment, Fragmented Vision, and repeated resets. 

When Ownership and Sporting Direction are not synchronized, Structural Inefficiencies inevitably follow.

I would even reinforce that once one the Pillar for Football Performance isn’t synchronized – as Head Coach, Sporting Director and Board, or President – the Negative Impact generated is a matter of time until is shows up.

Significantly.

League-specific tendencies further illustrate How Context shapes Governance. 

La Liga demonstrates a stronger inclination toward Continuity and Internal Development, particularly among Clubs with strong Youth identities such as Valencia CF, Athletic Club, Real Sociedad, and Villarreal CF. 

The Premier League, by contrast, favors external expertise, as illustrated by appointments such as Hugo Viana at Manchester City, Andrea Berta at Arsenal, and Monchi at Aston Villa. 

Ligue 1 reflects yet another reality, where leaner Front Offices and Concentrated Ownership Power often limit Internal Progression, making External Appointments more common.

Nationality patterns also reveal cultural preferences. 

Serie A remains highly Domestically focused, emphasizing Local Knowledge and Cultural Alignment. 

The Premier League is the most International, as expected, mirroring Trends seen in coaching Appointments. 

Across the “Big Five,” Italian Nationals are the Most Represented, followed by Spanish, German, French, and English professionals. 

Notably, Portugal Leads among Foreign nationalities, another Remarkable Achievement for a Country of its size.

What about the Age?

The average age of Sporting Directors across these Leagues is 48.6, suggesting that Clubs Value Experience and Maturity in a Role that demands Technical Expertise, Leadership, Networks, and Emotional Intelligence. 

What can we, then, Learn?

To start, there is definitely no linear Career Path to this Position, and increasingly, Success depends on the Ability to Navigate Complexity rather than Master a Single Domain.

The Sporting Director Role itself Continues to Evolve. 

Once centered primarily on Recruitment, it now Encompasses Football Identity, Contract Strategy, Academy Integration, Alignment between Men’s and Women’s Programs, Academy Programs, External Communication, and Collaboration with Executive Leadership – by having ALL Departments to Understand the Club’s Vision, Mission and Objectives. 

As Responsibilities expand, the question becomes unavoidable: is it realistic to expect one Individual to Manage all of this Effectively?

Specially, with the average tenure just over 2 years…

Some Clubs are already questioning the Traditional Model. 

Real Madrid has long Operated without a Formally defined Sporting Director, relying instead on Strong Internal Alignment and Expertise such as that provided by Juni Calafat. 

Everton recently shifted toward a Football Leadership Team Structure, Distributing Responsibilities across Specialists. 

Other Clubs rely on Transfer Committees that share Decision-Making Power. 

The Problem: While these Models can Reduce Risk and Promote Collaboration, they also Introduce Challenges around Accountability and Execution.

Where does MCO’s stand?

Multi-Club Ownership adds another layer of Complexity. 

In these environments, Sporting Direction often moves to Group Level, with figures such as Gianluca Nani overseeing Football Strategy across Multiple Clubs. 

This Structure enhances Alignment with Ownership but increases Governance Demands and Strategic Complexity.

Something for us to discuss more in the future, as this Groups are becoming more and more relevant.

A New Trend ahead?

Another Emerging Trend is the Appointment of CEOs with strong Sporting backgrounds. 

In such models, Football Strategy becomes Directly Integrated into Executive Leadership, potentially Reshaping the Role of Sporting Directors into more Operational or Advisory positions. This reflects a broader Recognition that Football Decisions are central to Club Value Creation.

Ultimately, there is no Universal true, or blueprint. 

One cannot guarantee that “Model A” will result everywhere.

Imagine going to Italy with a Team full of Expats ?
The effectiveness of any Sporting Director Structure depends on Ownership style, Governance Model, Strategic Ambition, and Cultural Context. 

Just to mention a few.

Then, Understanding the Role and Responsibilities, the path to think about the Individual for that Role becomes easier.

The real question is What a Sporting Director should look like in Theory, but also What Structure best fits a specific Club at a specific Moment in its Evolution.

The data collected was from a study of Football Benchmark, a remarkable unit of Study of Football Management and Business Operations.